Upholstering device.



F. H. HAMPTON, G. A. FRANZ & W. B. SMITH.

UPHOLSTERING DBVIUE.

APPLIOATION Hum APR. 4, 1903.

916,700. Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

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P. H. HAMPTON, G. A. FRANZ 6: W. E. SMITH. UPHOLSTERING DEVICE. APPLICATION TILED APB..4, 1908.

916,700. PatentedMar. 30, 1909.

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UNITED STATS PAEIEN'I OFFICE.

FRANK H. HAMPTON, OF PULLMAN, ILLINOIS, AND GUSTAVE A. FRANZ AND WATSON It. SMITH, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR-S TO JACKSON CUSHION EDGE COMPANY, OF

JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

UPHOLSTERING DEVICE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 30, 1909.

T 0 all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that we, FRANK H. HAMPTON, GUs'rAvE A. FRANZ, and Wri'rsoN R. Snrrn, citizens of the United States, residing, FRANK H. HAMPTON at Pullman, county of Cook, State of Illinois, and G'UsTAvn A. FRANZ and IVATSON R. SMITH both at Jackson, county of Jackson, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Upholstering Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to upholstering devices.

In upholstering couches, lounges, and similar articles, the edges of the upholstering material are usually rolled along their edges for the purpose of strengthening the same and particularly to provide for a proper shaping of the edges of the cushion. To provide this roll edge pad or roll edge, as they are sometimes called, there are different methods employed, the operations being usually accomplished by hand. In any event the methods practised are not altogether satisfactory, and they consume considerable time.

It is therefore one object of our invention to provide for an automatic filling or stuffing of a tubing or edge-roll of upholstering material, and as the filling material is fed into and packed in the tubing or edgeroll the latter is gradually forced off its support so that the filling or stuffing and packing may continue evenly and continuously from the bottom until the tubing or edge-roll is full.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a device embodying such characteristics that a canvas or other tubing may be simultaneously stuffed and removed from the device in a single operation.

A still further object is to provide a device whose parts are organized under such conditions as to effectually perform the functions of supporting a tubing of suitable material and supplying the same with a filler of hair, cotton, sawdust, felt or other suitable stufiing Without a resultant bunching of the tubing incident to the filling operation and a simultaneous removal of the tubing during and at the end of the filling process.

It is still further designed to provide a device capable of feeding the stuffing material continuously and evenly to the tubing and pack it therein from the bottom until the i r l r tubing is full, with means cooperating with the supporting means for the tubing to tension the tubing and thereby prevent bunching of the same.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion, size and minor details without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings :I igure l is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a view illustrating an edge-roll formed in accordance with our invention.

In the use of the present invention, it will be understood that we provide for the formation of cushion edges on upholstered goods, such as car seats, automobiles, chairs, couches, box springs and the like. It will also be understood at the outset that the upholstering material with which the roll is stuffed is preferably fed automatically instead of by hand, and reference to the accompanying drawings will disclose that the device is mounted upon a composite base, there being a wood supporting base 1 and a metallic base 2 mounted over the wood base. However, the means for mounting the device is immaterial and it will be understood that the composite base may be eliminated and that any other base for the support of the device may be employed.

Disposed upon the base intermediate its ends is a suitable frame consisting of pairs of spaced uprights 3 and 4, each pair connected at its top by a sill 5. This frame is provided particularly for the support of the feed rolls 6 and 7, they being journalod upon suitable axes 8 and 9, respectively, the upper feed roller 6 being mounted in a slidable boxing 10 forced normally toward the axis 9 of the roller 7 through the instrumentality of a helical or other spring 11, whose tension may be adjusted by means of the bolts 12 passed through the sills 5 and which are encircled by said springs 11, as clearly shown in the drawings. Each feed roller 6 and 7 is provided with an annular groove 13 and 14, respectively, which grooves of the respective rollers are adapted to alinc for the purpose of forming an opening between them for the passage of the feed screw 15 hereinafter more particularly described.

To support the tubing or edge-roll 16 for stuffing there is provided an elongated supporting tube 17 whose interior is corrugated, as indicated at 18' for the purpose of insuring a positive feed of the filling material through the supporting tube, the corrugations preventing the material from clinging to the inner walls of the tubing and insuring the material being fed through the tubing by the feed screw 15. The inner end of the supporting tubing 17 is flared and projects into the aforesaid frame and into close proximity to the feed rollers 6 and 7, there being a radial flange 19 formed at the flaring end of the tubing 17 whereby the latter may be secured at its inner end to said frame through the instrumentality of suitable fastening elements 20. The outer end of the tubing 17 is supported in a split sleeve 21, which split sleeve 21 is provided with oppositely disposed bosses 22 having screw threaded sockets 23 for the reception of the inner ends of the screw bolts 24 passed through the standards 25 secured to the base. This split sleeve 21 has its split 26 extending longitudinally throughout its length and it is split for the purpose of permitting transverse contraction and expansion of the sleeve upon operation of the bolts 24 so that the tubing or edge-roll 16 may be properly tensioned upon the supporting tube 17 to overcome the possibility of bunching of the edge-roll material and a consequent lumping of the edge roll incident to the filling of the latter and the packing of the material therein and the removal of the edge-roll from its supporting element 17.

The conveyer or feed screw 15 extends through the opening between feed rolls 6 and 7 into the supporting tube 17 and has its outer end journaled in a suitable bracket 27 secured to the base by means of suitable fastenings 28, there being a pulley 29 mounted upon the feed screw 15 adjacent the standard '27 to receive an operating belt 30 adapted to operate the feed screw when the sawdust, felt, cotton, hair, or other suitable filling material is to be fed into the supporting tubing 17 by way of the feed rolls 6 and 7 from the hopper 31, there being an endless conveyer 32 provided with transverse ribs 33 mounted in the hopper to agitate the material therein and particularly to carry the material in the hopper upwardly therein and then downwardly to the feed rollers 6 and 7, the lower roller having a preferably smooth periphery and the upper roller being preferably corrugated to facilitate the carrying of the filling material between the rollers and into the tubing ulley 35 over which works a cord or other belt 36 which also works around a pulley 37 mounted upon the axis 8 of the up er feed roller 6, whereby, when the feed r0 lers are operated in a manner hereinafter explained, the conveyer 32 will operate simultaneously therewith. To operate the feed rollers 6 and 7 there is disposed upon the axis 9 of the lower feed roller a beveled gear 38 ada ted to mesh with a beveled gear 39 mountev upon the axis 40 journaled in the standard 41 secured to'the supporting base of the device. The axis 9 also carries a gear 42 adapted to mesh with a ear 43 carried by the axis 8 of the upper feed roller so that when the beveled gear 39 is driven it will convey motion to the gear 43 and consequently to the upper feed roller 6 through the instrumentality of the inter-meshing gear 42 and beveled gear 38, as will be well understood. The axis 40 of the beveled gear 39 may be driven from any suitable source, but it is preferred to drive it simultaneously with the driving of the feed screw 15, through the instrumentality of a connecting belt or other suitable element 44, so that all of the operating elements of the device will operate simultaneously to automatically stufi the tubing, pack it, and remove the same in its stuffed and packed condition from the supporting tube 17 In the use of the presentinvention, the tubing or roll edge is formed into substantially bag shape, that is the sides and one end being closed and the opposite end open. The roll edge or tubing thus formed is then placed upon the holding tube 17 with the closed end at the outer end of the latter. The device is then set into operation and the filling material of the hop er passes between the feed rollers and into tlie supporting tube 17 through which it is worked to the outer end by means of the conveyer screw. As the filling material is conveyed to the outer end of the supporting tube and consequently to the closed end of the edge roll, it gradually becomes stuffed or filled resulting in the tubing or edge-roll, incident to the packing and the filling or stuifing material therein, being forced gradually off of the tubular support 17 so that the filling or stuffing and acking may continue evenly and continuous y from the closed end of the edge-roll until the latter is full. As shown, the cross sectional view in Fig. 4 discloses an edge-roll prior to being filled, and also indicating one method of se curing the sides of the edge-roll together.

What is claimed is 1. A device of the character described comprising a hollow tube for the sup ort of. the edge-roll, feed rollers mounted acjacent the inner end of the tube, each feed roller having an annular groove in its periphery" to 17 The conveyer 32 is mounted at its 11 provide an opening between them, a feed per end upon an axis 34 j ournaled through t 1e opper 31, the axis 34 being provided with a screw mounted in the tube and working through the opening formed by said grooves in the feed rollers, means for operating the screw, and a hopper mounted adjacent the feed rollers.

2. In a device of the character described, a supporting tube for the edge-roll, a hopper, means between the hop er and the supporting tube to feed the filling material to the latter, a feed screw operable in the tube, yieldable means embracing the tube and the edge-roll-to prevent a lumpy packing of the latter during the filling of the edge-roll, and means whereby said yieldable means may be adjusted to regulate the tension upon the edge-roll during the operation of the device.

3. A device of the character described comprising a hollow corrugated tube having a flaring inner end and adapted for the support of the edge-roll, feed rollers mounted adjacent the flaring end of the tube, each feed roller having an annular groove in its periphery to provide an opening between them, a feed screw mounted in the tube and working through the opening formed by said grooves in the feed rollers, means for operating the screw, a hopper mounted adjacent the feed rollers, and a conveyer mounted in the hopper.

4. In a device of the character described,

a corrugated tube having a flaring inner end,

feed rollers mounted adjacent the flaring end of said tube, a groove formed in the periphery of the feed rollers to provide an opening between them, a feed screw mounted in the tube and working through the opening be tween said rollers, means for operating the feed screw and feed rollers simultaneously, a hopper, a conveyer disposed in the hopper, a connection between the conveyer and one of said rollers to o erate the former upon operation of the l atter, means yieldably embracing the roll and tubing, and means for tensioning the last mentioned means to prevent a lumpy packing of the roll during operation of the device.

5. In a device of the character described, a supporting tube for the edge-roll, a hopper, means between the ho per and the support ing tube to feed the filling material to the latter, a feed screw operable in the tube, and yieldable means embracing the tube and the edge-roll to prevent a lumpy packing of the latter during the filling of the edge-roll.

6. In a device of the character described, a supporting tube for the edge-roll, the inner surface of the supporting tube being corrugated, a be per for the filling material, means for fee ing the filling material from the ho per into said tube, and a feed screw to feed the material through said tube and into the ed e-roll, whereby the latter may be filled and acked and removed from the supporting tube.

7. In a device of the character described, a supporting tube for the edge-roll or canvas tubing, the supporting tube being corrugated upon its interior, a hopper for the illing material, feeding rollers between the hozper and supportin tube, one of the rollers being corrugatec and each roller being grooved to provide an opening between them, a feed screw working through the opening of the feed rollers and extending into the supporting tube to feed the filling material through the latter and into the edge-roll or canvas tubing to fill the latter with the filling material.

8. In a device of the character described, a supporting tube for the edge-roll or canvas tubing, the supporting tube being corrugated upon its interior, a hopper for the filling material, feeding rollers between the hopper and supporting tube, one of the rolers being corrugated and each roller being grooved to provide an opening between them, a feed screw working through the opening of the feed rollers and extending into the supporting tube to feed the filling material through the latter and into the edge-roll or canvas tubing to fill the latter with the filling material, means for simultaneously operating the feed screw and feed rollers, and means embracing the edge-roll or canvas tubing to prevent a lumpy packing of the latter during the operation of the device.

9. In a device of the character described, a supporting tube for the edge-roll or canvas tubing, the supporting tube being corrugated upon its interior, a hopper for the filling material, feeding rollers between the hopper and supporting tube, one of the rollers being corrugated and each roller being grooved to provide an opening between them, a feed screw working through the opening of the feed rollers and extending into the supporting tube to feed the filling material through the latter and into the edge-roll or canvas tubing to fill the latter with the filling material, a longitudinally split sleeve embracing the edge-roll or canvas tubing, the split sleeve having bosses provided with screw threaded sockets, standards mounted upon opposite sides of the sleeve, and screw bolts working through the standards and entering the sockets of the corresponding bosses of the sleeve whereby the latter may be contracted or expanded transversely to regulate the tension of the sleeve upon the edge-roll or canvas tubing.

10. In a device of the character described, a supporting tubing for the edge-roll, a hopper for the filling material, means between the hopper and the supporting tubing to feed the filling material from the hopper to said tubing, means arranged in said tubing to feed the filling material through the latter, a split sleeve embracing said tubing and the edge-roll, and means whereby the edges of the split tube may be adjusted toward and away from each other to regulate the tension &

upon the edge-roll during the operation of the device.

11. In a device of the character described, a supporting tube for the support of the edge roll, the interior of the tube being corrugated, means disposed in the tube to feed the filling material through the tube, a sleeve embracing the edge roll and the tube, the sleeve being split longitudinally, and means whereby the longitudinal edges of the split sleeve may be adjusted toward and away from each other to regulate the tension upon the edgeroll during the removal of the roll from its supporting tube during the filling and packing of the roll.

12. A device of the character described comprising a hollow tube having a flaring inner end and adapted for the support of the edge-roll, feed rollers mounted adjacent the flaring end of the tube, each feed roller having an annular groove in its periphery to provide an opening between them, a feed screw mounted in the tube and Working through the opening formed by said grooves in the feed rollers, means for operating the screw, a hopper mounted adjacent the feed rollers, and a conveyer mounted in the hopper.

13. A device of the character described comprising a hollow tube for the support of the edge-roll, a hopper, means between the hopper and the supporting tube to feed the filling material to the latter, a feeding ele ment operable in the tube, and means embracing the tube and the edge-roll to prevent a lumpy packing of the latter during the filling of the edge-roll.

14. A device of the character described tube for the support of comprising a hollow means between the the edge-roll, a hopper,

hopper and the supporting tube to feed the.

filling material to the latter, a feeding element operable in the tube, yieldable means embracing the tube and the edge-roll to prevent a lumpy packing of the latter during the filling of the edge-roll, and means whereby said yieldable means may be adjusted to regulate the tension upon the edge-roll during the operation of the device.

15. A device of the character described comprising a hollow tube, hopper, means between the hopper and supporting tube to feed the filling material to the latter, and a feeding element operable in the tube.

16. A device of the character described comprising a hollow corrugated tube, a hopper, means between the hopper and support ing tube to feed the filling material to the latter, a feeding element operable in the tube, and means cooperating with the tube and the edge-roll to prevent a lumpy packing of the latter during the filling of the edge-roll.

In testimony whereof We afliX our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK H. HAMPTON. GUSTAVE A. FRANZ. WATSON R. SMITH.

Witnesses as to the signature of Frank H. Hampton:

SAMUEL F. RANDOLPH, J12, EDMOND P. DREYER.

Witnesses as to the signatures of Gustave A. Franz and Watson R. Smith:

ETHEL M. PHELAN, CHARLES RUTso-N. 

